Menards MasterForce tools -- any good?

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I'm interested in their cordless 18v Lithium-ion 1/2" drill. I know it's not going to be contractor quality, I would be happy with it being on par with Black & Decker.
 
I guess I'm the Guinea pig. I bought one.. $140 on sale at Menards. It's a nice drill for the money... Half inch key-less chuck, ratchet torque settings, two speed ranges, two Lithium-Ion batteries and a nice carrying case. Another nice feature is you can replace the battery(s) with either the Litium-Ion or the cheaper Ni-Cad.

Big question is how well it holds up. Since I'll only use it occasionally... probably good enough for me.
 
I've noticed that some of the MasterForce tools are identical (except for color) to ones sold at Harbor Freight. Probably come from the same factory in China.Good enough for occasional normal use, but not for frequent or Heavy Duty use.
 
Menards is the king of having off brand junky Chinese tools. They've been that way since they opened the first store 40 years ago. That along with their warped lumber and junky paint.

That being said, I still shop at Menards and think its an awesome place. I just don't buy tools, lumber, or paint there.
 
LOL! Where were you guys when I was making my decision? I was hoping for Black & Decker quality not Harbor Freak.

Oh well, I'll only use it for home use so it should be adequate what I need.
 
That drill will be just fine. Menard has paint, lumber, and tools that are just fine. Just don't buy the cheapest they have. Like anywhere else--you get what you pay for.
 
FWIW I just received a Masterforce 1/2" (model 241-0404) Lithium-Ion drill/driver for Christmas. I previously had two Coleman 18 volt ni-cad homeowner grade drills (also from Menard's). The ni-cad drills were fine for homeowner use and actually quite good for the price paid (under $30). However, in a recent (major) remodeling of our home, I taxed these cheap chinese drills beyond their limits. They got through the job, but are somewhat worse for wear, and the ni-cad battery packs are all but useless. This new Masterforce drill appears to be a step above the Coleman drills, which I would consider to be "Harbor Freight" quality. The Masterforce is still chinese, but at least it is a step up in construction. At $79.95 (on sale) it's no Bosch, but it's not $250 either. I think it will be fine for home use.
 
Well, my MasterForce LI 18 volt drill was a left over from work as the charger failed.
The engineer who picked it up was only there a couple days and left it behind.
I got it,(general consensus around the shop), returned the charger and took it home.
The charger is a discontinued unit though and getting a replacement was not easy.
The drive to pick it up was a long one.
It worked great for a few weeks, light weight, power full, easy to use chuck.
The battery pack does not seem to hold a charge sitting around off the charger as the Ni-Cad ones do.
Then the whole setup started acting up!
Tells me the drill is fully charged when dead!
No indication from the charger that the battery is bad or that the charger is failing!

I dear attempting to swap it out again if I even can!
 
After shopping for a tablesaw I noticed the Craftsman and Masterforce Contracter saws looked very similar. After closer look both saws were identical down to the last nut and bolt. Spilled coffee on Users Manual and couldn't find one for the Masterforce. Went to Sears website, located saw and was able to download the manual. It was identical except for the front page. 99% of power tools made in China. I have looked at all the big name stuff. I think "Grizzly" which I had never heard of before is made in USA. (Big Bucks)
 
I have the Lithium Sawzall and flashlight. Gonna get the impact soon too. Fast charge and hold a charge a LOOOONG time. I got the sawzall and flashlight free from my brother who found it on an abandoned jobsite. I can't complain.
 
Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
That along with their warped lumber and junky paint.


Complete [censored]. In 2009, we built a 28x48 garage, and bought the complete package from Menards. Not a single warped 2x4 in the whole bunch.
 
Their hand tools are pretty decent. Made in US by Apex. I've been shopping there more since Craftsman sold out.
 
Masterforce has some good stuff. The hand tools are all USA made by Apex. The screwdrivers are USA made by Pratt-Read.

Overall, Menards is my favorite of the big box hardware stores. They have more USA and focus on buying and identifying USA made products.
 
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